Arya News - The deadly incident on September 6 has left students questioning whether rented accommodation in New Delhi is safe enough for those who come to the city to study and build their careers.
NEW DELHI – Days after a deadly building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, students living in paying guest accommodations across the city are speaking about problems they say are often part of everyday life: cracked walls, leaking rooms, poor building conditions and expensive rents.
The concerns have come into sharper focus after the collapse of a PG building claimed seven lives and injured five people last week.
Students describe difficult living conditions
Students who spoke to IANS said finding affordable and safe accommodation near colleges can be difficult.
One student described the condition of their PG as worrying. “There were several cracks in the PG accommodation, and the condition of the building was very poor,” the student told IANS.
The student also said the room was extremely small and that rainwater sometimes entered the accommodation.
“During the rains, water would seep into the room,” the student said, while also pointing to the high rent charged for the accommodation.
The accounts have highlighted the difficulties faced by students who move to Delhi for education and career opportunities and depend on rented rooms, PGs and hostels for housing.
Colleges step in after the collapse
Following the Satya Niketan incident, some students have temporarily been shifted to college campuses as a safety measure.
One such student said they are currently staying at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College in its seminar hall.
“For now, we have been provided with accommodation and food,” the student said.
The student added that the support from the college had brought some relief during a difficult period.
“It feels really good that the college is standing by us and supporting us during this difficult time,” the student said.
Seven people died in Satya Niketan
The building at the centre of the tragedy was known as ‘Hostel Daze’ PG. It was a ground-plus-four-floor structure that collapsed on Sunday.
Seven people were killed and five others were injured in the incident. The building was reportedly around 50 years old.
The property belonged to the Gupta family, which had recently carried out repairs and converted it into a PG accommodation. Its location near Delhi University’s South Campus made it attractive for student housing at a time when demand for rooms in the area was high.
FIR raises questions over construction
The police investigation has raised questions about the building’s structural condition and the construction work carried out on it.
According to the FIR, the owners allegedly knew that the old foundation could not support additional weight. Despite this, additional floors were allegedly allowed to be constructed.
The FIR states that the extra construction placed considerable pressure on the building’s structural stability and load-bearing capacity, leaving the decades-old structure allegedly unable to cope with the additional burden.
FIR No. 153/2026 was registered at the South Campus Police Station on Sunday night.
Police have invoked Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The sections relate to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligence during the demolition, repair or construction of buildings, and acts that endanger the life or personal safety of others.
Delhi High Court seeks inspection of PGs
The tragedy has also brought the wider condition of PG accommodations in Delhi under scrutiny.
The Delhi High Court has directed civic authorities to inspect PG properties across the Capital and examine their structural and legal status. The court has sought a report within two weeks.
Three family members arrested
Delhi Police have arrested 81-year-old Hariram Gupta in connection with the case, along with his wife and son.
Gupta is a retired Sergeant of the Indian Air Force.
As the investigation continues, the Satya Niketan collapse has put a larger issue in focus: the safety of the rented spaces where thousands of students live while pursuing their studies in Delhi.